Gatti Blog

We tend to associate stress with bad feelings, but did you know that not all stress is negative? Stress is just the way our body responds to change. So, whether it be on-going or a one-time feeling of pressure, such as meeting a deadline, it is important to pay attention to our bodies response to these factors. Stress can help in motivating us to overcome big challenges in our lives, but if it is chronic, it can certainly be harmful to our minds and bodies.

Below are 10 simple ways you can keep your stress under control:

Let off steam to relax. When you begin to consistently feel overwhelmed, take a step back and allow yourself to stop what you are doing. Blow off some steam by going for a walk or exercising. One of exercises many benefits is that it helps to relieve stress. Then, after several minutes, come back to your stressor with a clear head.

Meditate. Conversely, by stepping back to focus only on your mind, you can also relieve a lot of negative feelings. Try listening to music as you meditate. Focus on a calming music genre or even calming sounds to allow yourself to let go.

Let it out. Bottling up your feelings may only cause them to get worse; call a close friend to talk about your problems. They may not always be able to provide you with the best advice, but they can at least listen. If you don't feel you can to talk to your friend, grab a piece of pen and paper and begin writing out your thoughts. It's better than bottling it all up.

Adopt a mantra (or two). Sometimes, walls can feel like they are closing in with no end in sight. Find a couple mantras that you can repeat to yourself when the stress begins to take over to help calm yourself down and talk yourself out of the anxious moment. Ask yourself then what you need to do to complete the task at hand and tackle one issue at a time. As soon as you begin to feel the stress take over, immediately go to your mantras. Stop it dead in its track before it has time to consume you.

Eat your fruits and veggies. It's amazing what a well-rounded and healthy diet will do for you both physically and mentally. By eating more fruits, whole grains and vegetables, you will have more energy to keep that stress under control.

Get real with yourself. We have a tendency to take on too much; we often feel invincible as though we have no limits. The fact of the matter is, though, it's really easy to submerge ourselves in our effort to "do it all." Set limits for yourself so that you can also be honest with others on what you can and cannot handle at given moments in your life. Don't be afraid to say "no" when your schedule is already looking packed.

Make time for fun. Don't allow yourself to work all the time; schedule in some free time if you have to. Make sure this free time puts no pressure on yourself. For instance, while events are often fun, attending one on your day off could mean also being set to a schedule, which takes away from the purpose of taking a load off your shoulders. If it seems like you don't have enough time to take a bit of a recess, just focus on 10-20 minutes of "me-time." You can handle that, right?

Watch some stand-up comedy. If the stress is becoming too much, take a break to indulge in some comedic relief. Make sure to also engage in laughter throughout the day and try to make some of your own jokes. Laughter helps to decrease levels of the stress-causing hormones cortisol and adrenaline, and releases endorphins.

Switch out the coffee. Instead of brewing up your morning cup of Joe or having an energy drink, consider going for a cup of tea instead. Caffeine in large doses can temporarily raise your blood-pressure and add on to the stress. Green tea, in particular, is full of antioxidants and contains an amino acid known as theanine, which helps calm the nervous system.

Go to sleep earlier. By depriving your body of sufficient rest, you are not allowing it to reset in enough time to take on the next day. This means stress can affect you more among other health issues.

Stress is a natural part of our lives, but that does not mean that we have to let it prevent us from being productive. By following the above tips, you can maintain and manage those stressors and start getting more done. Try not to get discouraged when everything seems to be going wrong and be sure to use these stress management tools to keep setbacks at bay. And remember, tomorrow is always another day.